BAMA

FLA

Clayton scores 22 as No. 4 Florida beats No. 5 Alabama 104-82 in SEC semis

AP
Mar 15, 2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points, and No. 4 Florida Gators pulled away from No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide for a 104-82 victory in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday.

Alijah Martin and Will Richard each had 16 points for the Gators (29-4) in their fifth consecutive win.

Next up for Florida is Sunday's SEC championship game against No. 8 Tennessee, which beat No. 3 Auburn 70-65 in the first semifinal.

The second-seeded Gators led the Crimson Tide 47-45 after a first half that featured 10 lead changes. But Clayton and company really turned up their play down the stretch.

Chris Youngblood had 14 points for third-seeded Alabama (25-8). Clifford Omoruyi and Mouhamed Dioubate each had 12.

Clayton went 6 for 11 from 3-point range. The senior guard added six assists.

Alabama: The loss derailed the Crimson Tide’s hope of winning the program's third SEC tournament title in the last five seasons. With 10 wins over AP Top 25 opponents this season, a program record for most in a single season, Alabama has a strong case for a good seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Florida: The Gators were impressive in the defensive end, holding the high-scoring Crimson Tide to just 82 points. Entering Saturday, Alabama had scored 90 points or more in 18 games this season, the most in Division I.

Richard hit a 3-pointer with 9:24 remaining in the second half to give Florida a 21-point lead and put the game out of reach for Alabama.

After a tightly contested first half, Florida outscored the Crimson Tide 57-37 over the final 20 minutes.

Florida and Tennessee split the two-game season series, with both teams winning on their home courts. The Crimson Tide wait to learn the team's first opponent in the NCAA tourney.

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1st Half
ALA
Crimson Tide
45
FLA
Gators
47

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Clifford Omoruyi vs. Rueben Chinyelu (Mark Sears gains possession)
19:45		Mark Sears turnover (bad pass)
19:23	+2	Will Richard makes two point layup	0-2
19:14		Will Richard shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
19:14	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	1-2
19:14	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	2-2
19:02		Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass)
18:52		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point dunk
18:50		Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
18:44		Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:42		Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
18:40	+2	Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup	2-4
18:28	+2	Grant Nelson makes two point layup (Labaron Philon assists)	4-4
18:17		Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:15		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
18:08	+2	Mark Sears makes two point layup	6-4
17:47	+2	Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup (Alex Condon assists)	6-6
17:37	+3	Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)	9-6
17:22		Clifford Omoruyi blocks Walter Clayton Jr.'s two point jump shot
17:20		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
17:16	+3	Chris Youngblood makes three point jump shot (Grant Nelson assists)	12-6
16:52		Alex Condon misses three point jump shot
16:50		Will Richard offensive rebound
16:45	+2	Will Richard makes two point hook shot	12-8
16:37		Mark Sears turnover (bad pass) (Alijah Martin steals)
16:29	+3	Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Alijah Martin assists)	12-11
16:15		Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
16:13		Alijah Martin defensive rebound
16:09		Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass) (Grant Nelson steals)
15:58		Clifford Omoruyi misses two point layup
15:56		Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
15:32		Grant Nelson blocks Alex Condon's two point layup
15:30		Mark Sears defensive rebound
15:29		TV timeout
15:17		Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot
15:15		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
15:03		Aden Holloway shooting foul (Denzel Aberdeen draws the foul)
15:03	+1	Denzel Aberdeen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-12
15:03	+1	Denzel Aberdeen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-13
14:48	+3	Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Aden Holloway assists)	15-13
14:23	+2	Micah Handlogten makes two point dunk (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)	15-15
14:11		Labaron Philon misses two point layup
14:09		Aiden Sherrell offensive rebound
14:06	+2	Aiden Sherrell makes two point layup	17-15
13:56		Denzel Aberdeen misses two point jump shot
13:54		Micah Handlogten offensive rebound
13:52	+2	Micah Handlogten makes two point layup	17-17
13:41		Micah Handlogten shooting foul (Aiden Sherrell draws the foul)
13:41		Aiden Sherrell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:41		Aiden Sherrell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:41		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
13:22	+3	Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot	17-20
13:11	+2	Jarin Stevenson makes two point layup	19-20
13:11		Micah Handlogten shooting foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
13:11	+1	Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	20-20
12:51	+2	Alijah Martin makes two point jump shot	20-22
12:37		Alijah Martin shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
12:37	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-22
12:37	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-22
12:19		Denzel Aberdeen misses three point jump shot
12:17		Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
12:05		Rueben Chinyelu personal foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
11:59		Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot
11:57		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
11:51		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
11:49		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
11:46	+3	Aden Holloway makes three point jump shot (Mouhamed Dioubate assists)	25-22
11:35		Aden Holloway personal foul (Urban Klavzar draws the foul)
11:35		TV timeout
11:31	+3	Urban Klavzar makes three point jump shot (Denzel Aberdeen assists)	25-25
11:19	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Mark Sears assists)	27-25
11:09	+2	Denzel Aberdeen makes two point layup	27-27
11:09		Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Denzel Aberdeen draws the foul)
11:09		Denzel Aberdeen misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:09		Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
10:59	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point layup (Labaron Philon assists)	29-27
10:48		Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
10:46		Labaron Philon defensive rebound
10:36	+2	Grant Nelson makes two point dunk	31-27
10:20	+2	Thomas Haugh makes two point dunk	31-29
10:13	+2	Grant Nelson makes two point layup (Labaron Philon assists)	33-29
9:59		Denzel Aberdeen misses two point jump shot
9:58		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
9:58		Alex Condon personal foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul)
9:41		Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
9:39		Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
9:28		Will Richard misses three point jump shot
9:26		Alex Condon offensive rebound
9:17		Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass)
9:10		Labaron Philon misses two point hook shot
9:08		Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
9:01		Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
8:59		Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
8:57	+2	Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup	33-31
8:44	+2	Mark Sears makes two point jump shot	35-31
8:27	+3	Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Alijah Martin assists)	35-34
8:10		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
8:08		Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
8:00		Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Alijah Martin draws the foul)
8:00		TV timeout
8:00	+1	Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-35
8:00		Alijah Martin misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:00		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
7:50		Rueben Chinyelu shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul)
7:50		Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:50		Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:50		Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
7:24		Thomas Haugh misses two point layup
7:22		Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
7:18		Rueben Chinyelu misses two point hook shot
7:16		Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound
7:12		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
7:08		Gators defensive rebound
6:56	+3	Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Thomas Haugh assists)	35-38
6:36		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
6:34		Crimson Tide offensive rebound
6:23	+3	Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)	38-38
6:11		Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:09		Mark Sears defensive rebound
6:02	+2	Mark Sears makes two point jump shot	40-38
5:31		Jarin Stevenson shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
5:31		Alex Condon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:31	+1	Alex Condon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-39
5:10		Aden Holloway turnover (bad pass) (Walter Clayton Jr. steals)
4:52		Urban Klavzar turnover (lost ball) (Mouhamed Dioubate steals)
4:48	+2	Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup	42-39
4:25		Alex Condon offensive foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul)
4:25		Alex Condon turnover (offensive foul)
4:12		Grant Nelson misses two point jump shot
4:10		Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
4:04	+2	Alijah Martin makes two point layup	42-41
3:43		Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot
3:41		Alex Condon defensive rebound
3:40		Grant Nelson personal foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
3:40		TV timeout
3:16		Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:14		Labaron Philon defensive rebound
3:10		Labaron Philon turnover (lost ball) (Walter Clayton Jr. steals)
3:04		Alex Condon misses two point layup
3:02		Thomas Haugh offensive rebound
3:00	+2	Thomas Haugh makes two point layup	42-43
2:47		Labaron Philon turnover (lost ball) (Will Richard steals)
2:32		Will Richard turnover (lost ball) (Mouhamed Dioubate steals)
2:25	+2	Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup (Jarin Stevenson assists)	44-43
2:13	+3	Thomas Haugh makes three point jump shot (Denzel Aberdeen assists)	44-46
2:00		Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot
1:58		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
1:55		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
1:53		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
1:36		Thomas Haugh misses two point layup
1:34		Mark Sears defensive rebound
1:29		Denzel Aberdeen shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
1:29		Mark Sears misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:29	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-46
1:10		Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
1:08		Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound
1:03		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
0:45		Denzel Aberdeen misses two point jump shot
0:43		Thomas Haugh offensive rebound
0:42		Mouhamed Dioubate shooting foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul)
0:42	+1	Thomas Haugh makes regular free throw 1 of 2	45-47
0:42		Thomas Haugh misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:42		Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound
0:24		Mark Sears misses two point jump shot
0:22		Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
0:17		Gators 30 second timeout
0:03		Denzel Aberdeen misses three point jump shot
0:01		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
ALA
Crimson Tide
37
FLA
Gators
57

Time		Play	Score
19:44		Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
19:42		Alijah Martin offensive rebound
19:33		Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
19:31		Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
19:25		Rueben Chinyelu misses two point hook shot
19:23		Alex Condon offensive rebound
19:21		Alex Condon misses two point layup
19:19		Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
19:19		Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Rueben Chinyelu draws the foul)
19:19		Rueben Chinyelu misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:19		Rueben Chinyelu misses regular free throw 2 of 2
19:19		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
19:10		Mouhamed Dioubate turnover (lost ball)
19:02		Will Richard misses three point jump shot
19:01		Rueben Chinyelu personal foul
18:47	+3	Chris Youngblood makes three point jump shot (Labaron Philon assists)	48-47
18:30	+3	Alijah Martin makes three point jump shot (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)	48-50
18:16		Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot
18:15		Chris Youngblood flagrant 1
18:15	+1	Alijah Martin makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2	48-51
18:15	+1	Alijah Martin makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2	48-52
17:58	+2	Will Richard makes two point jump shot	48-54
17:48		Labaron Philon misses two point layup
17:46		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
17:39		Alex Condon blocks Mark Sears's two point layup
17:37		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
17:31		Mouhamed Dioubate shooting foul (Will Richard draws the foul)
17:31	+1	Will Richard makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-55
17:31	+1	Will Richard makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-56
17:31		Micah Handlogten personal foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
17:10		Mark Sears turnover (Walter Clayton Jr. steals)
17:05	+2	Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup	48-58
16:52	+2	Chris Youngblood makes two point layup	50-58
16:29		Alex Condon turnover (Labaron Philon steals)
16:23		Chris Youngblood misses three point jump shot
16:21		Jarin Stevenson offensive rebound
16:18		Will Richard personal foul
16:10		Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot
16:08		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
15:54		Alex Condon misses two point layup
15:52		Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound
15:37		Mouhamed Dioubate turnover (Micah Handlogten steals)
15:34	+2	Alijah Martin makes two point dunk (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)	50-60
15:24		Aiden Sherrell misses two point layup
15:22		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
15:16	+2	Alex Condon makes two point dunk (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)	50-62
14:55		Will Richard blocks Labaron Philon's two point layup
14:53		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
14:51		Chris Youngblood misses three point jump shot
14:49		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
14:41		Chris Youngblood shooting foul (Alijah Martin draws the foul)
14:41		TV timeout
14:41	+1	Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-63
14:41	+1	Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-64
14:28	+3	Chris Youngblood makes three point jump shot	53-64
14:00	+2	Denzel Aberdeen makes two point jump shot	53-66
13:47		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
13:45		Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
13:28	+2	Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup (Thomas Haugh assists)	53-68
13:14		Thomas Haugh personal foul
13:07		Denzel Aberdeen shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
13:07	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-68
13:07	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-68
12:51	+3	Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Thomas Haugh assists)	55-71
12:40		Rueben Chinyelu shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
12:40	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-71
12:40	+1	Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-71
12:28	+2	Denzel Aberdeen makes two point layup	57-73
12:10		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
12:08		Gators defensive rebound
11:43		TV timeout
11:40		Urban Klavzar misses two point layup
11:38		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
11:34		Thomas Haugh shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul)
11:34	+1	Mouhamed Dioubate makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-73
11:34	+1	Mouhamed Dioubate makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-73
11:22		Mouhamed Dioubate blocks Alex Condon's two point layup
11:20		Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
11:13		Mouhamed Dioubate turnover (Denzel Aberdeen steals)
11:08		Chris Youngblood shooting foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul)
11:08	+1	Thomas Haugh makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-74
11:08		Thomas Haugh misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:08		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
10:47		Chris Youngblood misses two point layup
10:45		Alex Condon defensive rebound
10:26		Urban Klavzar misses three point jump shot
10:24		Will Richard offensive rebound
10:24		Mouhamed Dioubate shooting foul (Will Richard draws the foul)
10:24	+1	Will Richard makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-75
10:24	+1	Will Richard makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-76
10:01		Micah Handlogten blocks Mark Sears's two point layup
9:59		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
9:44		Mouhamed Dioubate shooting foul (Urban Klavzar draws the foul)
9:44		Urban Klavzar misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:44	+1	Urban Klavzar makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-77
9:33		Thomas Haugh blocks Jarin Stevenson's two point layup
9:31		Urban Klavzar defensive rebound
9:26	+3	Will Richard makes three point jump shot (Urban Klavzar assists)	59-80
9:24		Crimson Tide 30 second timeout
9:24		TV timeout
9:15	+2	Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Labaron Philon assists)	61-80
8:59	+2	Thomas Haugh makes two point jump shot	61-82
8:50		Labaron Philon turnover (Urban Klavzar steals)
8:42		Denzel Aberdeen misses two point layup
8:40		Labaron Philon defensive rebound
8:33		Jarin Stevenson misses two point layup
8:31		Urban Klavzar defensive rebound
8:14	+2	Will Richard makes two point jump shot	61-84
8:00	+3	Chris Youngblood makes three point jump shot (Aden Holloway assists)	64-84
7:33		Clifford Omoruyi blocks Denzel Aberdeen's two point layup
7:31		Labaron Philon defensive rebound
7:28		Chris Youngblood misses three point jump shot
7:26		Gators defensive rebound
7:26		TV timeout
7:26		Nate Oats technical foul
7:26		Will Richard misses technical free throw 1 of 2
7:26	+1	Will Richard makes technical free throw 2 of 2	64-85
7:07	+3	Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot	64-88
6:54	+3	Aden Holloway makes three point jump shot	67-88
6:36	+3	Alex Condon makes three point jump shot (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)	67-91
6:22		Aden Holloway misses two point jump shot
6:20		Aden Holloway offensive rebound
6:14		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
6:12		Aiden Sherrell offensive rebound
6:12		Will Richard shooting foul (Aiden Sherrell draws the foul)
6:12	+1	Aiden Sherrell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	68-91
6:12	+1	Aiden Sherrell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-91
5:58	+2	Alijah Martin makes two point layup	69-93
5:47		Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot
5:45		Jarin Stevenson offensive rebound
5:30	+3	Labaron Philon makes three point jump shot (Aden Holloway assists)	72-93
5:02	+2	Rueben Chinyelu makes two point jump shot (Alijah Martin assists)	72-95
4:50	+3	Aden Holloway makes three point jump shot	75-95
4:27		Jarin Stevenson shooting foul (Walter Clayton Jr. draws the foul)
4:27	+1	Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-96
4:27	+1	Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	75-97
4:06		Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot
4:04		Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
3:41		Thomas Haugh misses two point jump shot
3:39		Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
3:38		Rueben Chinyelu personal foul
3:38		TV timeout
3:38	+1	Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	76-97
3:38		Jarin Stevenson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:38		Will Richard defensive rebound
3:22	+2	Alex Condon makes two point layup (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)	76-99
3:22		Chris Youngblood shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
3:22		Alex Condon misses regular free throw 1 of 1
3:22		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
3:10	+2	Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup	78-99
2:49		Will Richard misses three point jump shot
2:47		Chris Youngblood defensive rebound
2:40		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
2:38		Alijah Martin defensive rebound
2:22		Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
2:20		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
2:08		Isaiah Brown shooting foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
2:08		Jarin Stevenson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:08		Jarin Stevenson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:08		Isaiah Brown defensive rebound
1:44	+3	Denzel Aberdeen makes three point jump shot (Urban Klavzar assists)	78-102
1:21	+2	Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup	80-102
1:03		Urban Klavzar misses three point jump shot
0:59		Crimson Tide defensive rebound
0:48		Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot
0:46		Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
0:19	+2	Bennett Andersen makes two point layup	80-104
0:09	+2	Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup	82-104
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup